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ITV Report

18 April 2013 at 8:15pm

Muamba helps launch charity run

Fabrice Muamba Photo: Mike Egerton/EMPICS Sport

Fabrice Muamba, the former Bolton Wanderers footballer whose heart stopped for more than an hour after he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during a match, said he considered it a "privilege" to raise awareness of the condition at the launch of a charity run in Manchester.

The former midfielder also admitted that, while he knew his career as a player was over, he held hopes of coaching the sport as he was unveiled as an honorary race starter for the Bupa Great Manchester Run.

Speaking at the National Football Museum in Manchester, Muamba, who collapsed during a match against Tottenham in March last year, said: "Football now - it's gone, it's moved on.

"Now it's just about raising awareness for other reasons. I think I have got this privilege that I can go around and speak about sudden cardiac arrests and how much it affects people."

But he added that he wanted to combine his charity work with coaching football in the future.

The former player said he hoped speaking out about sudden cardiac arrests would emphasise how important it is to have a defibrillator available in public places.

"One of the reasons I got involved was when I had my accident at White Hart Lane the machine they used on me was a defibrillator."

On his health since his collapse, Muamba said: "I'm ok. I'm still on two tablets but apart from that my recovery's been ok since I left hospital."

The 10-kilometre Bupa Great Manchester Run has been held every year for the past 11 and will take place on Sunday May 26.